Kashmir terror attack sparks diplomatic crisis between India and Pakistan

A devastating terrorist attack in the scenic town of Pahalgam on April 22 has left over 26 tourists dead and dozens more injured, marking the deadliest act of terror in Indian-administered Kashmir in more than two decades.

The attack, attributed by Indian authorities to the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has triggered a swift and severe diplomatic fallout between New Delhi and Islamabad.

The scenic Himalayan region, often likened to “mini Switzerland” for its alpine beauty, has now become the epicenter of a rapidly escalating crisis.

In the aftermath, India announced a string of retaliatory measures: the revocation of visas issued to Pakistani nationals, the summoning of Islamabad’s top diplomat in New Delhi, and the closure of the critical Attari integrated check post along the India-Pakistan border.

Pakistan vehemently denied any involvement in the attack, branding it a “false flag operation” aimed at maligning its image. Islamabad responded with its own countermeasures, including the cancellation of visas for Indian nationals under exemption agreements, a sharp reduction in Indian diplomatic personnel within its borders, a closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian aircraft, and the shuttering of the Wagah border crossing—effectively halting all bilateral trade.

Tensions escalated further when, two days after the attack, both sides reported brief exchanges of fire across the Line of Control, the heavily fortified and disputed boundary in Kashmir. Military posturing has intensified on both sides, raising alarms about the risk of a wider conflict.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to hunt down the perpetrators, announcing the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement between the two countries. In response, Pakistan’s defense minister warned of “all eventualities,” cautioning that the standoff could spiral into full-scale war.

The international community has called for restraint, fearing a further deterioration between the nuclear-armed neighbors. However, with diplomatic channels rapidly closing and rhetoric hardening on both sides, the path to de-escalation appears increasingly uncertain.